Another way to skin the cat; the High Torque 292 LS swap

[Low Elco]

That gold one is gonna be niiiiiice when you get it put together.

[dayj1]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

That gold one is gonna be niiiiiice when you get it put together.

Thanks! I sure hope so. As we all know, it's a lot of work.

[dec010974]

Dayj1, my hero, the smartest guy I know, I have a few questions. This pic looks shorter than your first set up. i want the sbc look. can you explain the reason why? I'm in the middle of this swap, on a 1980 gmc c15. i have a 4.8/4l60e, stock harness, and i have two options, the 4150 throttle body, or the thingy, figamabob, you created. my figamabob is an 1 inch thick, to compensate, for the tall fuel injectors. help me out and explain the madness. thanks in advance, Clark.

[dayj1]

Originally Posted by dec010974

Dayj1, my hero, the smartest guy I know, I have a few questions. This pic looks shorter than your first set up. i want the sbc look. can you explain the reason why? I'm in the middle of this swap, on a 1980 gmc c15. i have a 4.8/4l60e, stock harness, and i have two options, the 4150 throttle body, or the thingy, figamabob, you created. my figamabob is an 1 inch thick, to compensate, for the tall fuel injectors. help me out and explain the madness. thanks in advance, Clark.

The difference in the setup on the blue '72 and the gold '68 is mostly in the air cleaner base. The base on the '72 started life as a stock '86 C10 air cleaner and is what I'll call a "flat" base because the bottom of the air cleaner element is vertically at the same height as the air cleaner flange on the throttle body. The '68 has a "drop base" air cleaner which is 1.5" below the flange. It doesn't sound like much, but it makes a big visual difference.

I'll probably end up using a taller element in the air cleaner (4" instead of 3") to provide enough room to squeeze a MAF in there like the setup on the '72. However, I do like the look of the shorter air cleaner and might just ditch the MAF and go with a speed density tune.

Also, the adapter that goes from the 4150 flange on the intake to the 3 bolt factory 5.3 TB is 1/2" tall in my case. That allows the plug on the TB to just barely clear the fuel rail with factory truck injectors (standard injectors and not taller flex fuel injectors). This would be a non issue if had the foresight to make the adapter in such a way that the TB was turned 90 degrees and the electrical connector pointed toward the rear of the engine. Hindsight is always 20/20

The TB that you pictured is by far the easiest way to do this if you can absorb the cost. A cheaper way would be to buy one of the readily available adapters for a GM TBI throttle body to 4150 flange and use a TBI unit with the injector pod removed. It won't flow as much air as the Holley unit, but that shouldn't be an issue with a stock 4.8/5.3/6.0.

I hope that helps to answer your questions.